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CW: past domestic and child abuse. Since it is quite descriptive, I have put them in blue text. Please skip it if you want to.
Don’t be afraid of me.
It’s said in a small voice, without discernible emotion, but Shao Ming’s embrace was palpably cautious.
Zhu Tong tilted his head slightly, the stray hair around his ears rubbed against each other, tickling his face. He wanted to raise his hand to push it away, but before he could do it, the youth hugging him suddenly tightened his hold.
“…”
Who is the one truly afraid in the end?
Zhu Tong felt his heart was pricked – not really pained, but still unspeakably uncomfortable.
Shao Ming always wears a smiling mask until nobody knows what he’s thinking or what he cares about. He remains emotionally reserved, and even significant events cannot provoke a hint of impatience on his face.
When he met Qiu Shaoping today, he was not impatient… nor was he irritable. Compared with his violent kicks, the expression on his face could be called calm.
After kicking that man, he didn’t say a word to “break the ice,” as if he had nearly beaten someone to death. In reality, it was as simple as giving a beating to that person named Yuan Shaozhou. On the way back home, he still had the mood to joke, and when applying medicine, he had a relaxed expression on his face.
But now Shao Ming actually made his heart feel heavy.
It’s as if he finally unloaded all his strength, putting all the weight on himself.
Does this person still remember that he is a sickly person?
Has he considered whether his small frame can bear the weight of 175 pounds1about 80 kg?
But he was hugging so tightly that Zhu Tong couldn’t push him away.
Zhu Tong sighed softly and finally answered, “I’m not afraid of you.”
“…”
“I’m not afraid of the reason you decided to beat him up. I’m worried that you will have to take responsibility if you go too far. That person made it clear that he wanted to drag you along…”
After speaking for a while, Zhu Tong felt that his words of comfort seemed weak.
Qiu Shaoping angered Shao Ming like crazy – his purpose was obvious to all, there’s no way someone as sharp as Shao Ming wouldn’t know.
That person just wanted to drag Shao Ming to hell with him.
But in the face of someone like Qiu Shaoping, if one can’t make him shut up, what else can they do?
Zhu Tong hesitated for a moment, put a hand on Shao Ming’s back, and repeated in a frank manner, “I’m not afraid of you.”
His plain but firm words, like a gust of fresh breeze caressing his face, blew away the layers of fog obstructing the depths of his heart.
After a long pause, Shao Ming laughed softly, “Then you are quite brave.”
Zhu Tong: “…”
The words were spoken close to his neck, and the breath sprayed into his sensitive nape area, causing him to involuntarily shrink.
Shao Ming suddenly said, “Zhu Tong.”
Unprepared to be ‘called by his full name’, Zhu Tong was stunned. “Huh?”
Shao Ming said, “If I really killed someone today, what would you do?”
Thinking of this possibility, Zhu Tong frowned slightly and said, “You won’t.”
Shao Ming asked, “Why?”
“…”
–Because in the original novel you were fine until the end.
But aside from the final outcome he knew, he could only judge by the time he spent together and what he knew about Shao Ming. He could also conclude that Shao Ming was not someone who really lost his mind just because of a scumbag.
Zhu Tong said, “There is no concrete reason, I just believe you will not.”
Shao Ming: “…”
A form of a true unbreakable trust.
But this young master was wrong. If Zhu Tong didn’t show up at that time, he really wanted to kick that man to death.
The youth who rushed up suddenly, his two thin arms that hugged his arms so tightly, was like a rational chain that restrained him. He pulled him back from sinking into the murky quagmire.
For some reason, Shao Ming didn’t like the positive trust the other youth placed in him. He persistently asked, “What if?”
Zhu Tong thought for a while, “If you really beat him to death, then I’ll ask a lawyer to help you defend your case in the court. You have a solid reason, and you’re still a minor, so your punishment won’t be too severe. And if you really go to jail, then I’ll wait for you to come out, with your grades…”
Zhu Tong wanted to say that even if he went to jail, he still had good grades, so Shao Ming could still have a good job when he was freed. But before he could finish talking, the hand on his waist suddenly exerted force, and his originally shallow face suddenly sank deep.
Young Master Zhu stopped talking.
Shao Ming’s voice sounded restrained, a little tight, “You said… you’ll wait for me to come out?”
Zhu Tong: “…”
This seems to be something that only someone’s closest people would say.
Closest people… Zhu Tong suddenly thought of Shao’s mother’s instinctive half-step back outside the milk tea shop. His heart sank slightly, but he still pretended to be relaxed. “Although it’s not as romantic as a girlfriend declaring she’ll wait for you no matter what, you can jus– ah!”
There was a strange touch on his neck. Zhu Tong was startled and pushed the other taller youth away with force. This push was surprisingly easy to do. As he covered his neck, he glared and said, “Why are you biting me?”
The bite wasn’t painful or hard, but Zhu Tong was startled.
Shao Ming’s eyes were deep, looking at the slightly parted lips due to surprise, and he thought in his heart, ‘Not only do I want to bite, but I also want to kiss.’
He said hoarsely, “I don’t need a girlfriend to wait for me.”
Zhu Tong: “…”
‘If you don’t need it, you don’t need it, what are you biting me for?’
Is he kindly comforting someone who has suffered an injury just to be treated with ingratitude?
Shao Ming said with no sincerity. “Sorry, I couldn’t hold back for a while.”
‘–Can’t hold back for a while?’
Zhu Tong glared and said angrily, “I know you’re in a bad mood, but you can’t just bite people, ah.”
If it were in the past, this bite might have made his neck bleed!
Zhu Tong recalled the bloody scenes of accidental injuries in the past. While being grateful that his physical fitness had improved a lot now, he also worried about whether there would be bite marks left on his neck.
He completely failed to grasp the meaning behind Shao Ming’s words just now.
Shao Ming: “…”
He sighed and stepped forward to push Zhu Tong’s hand away. “Does it hurt? Let me see.”
Zhu Tong replied, “No. It’s not painful.”
Shao Ming had already pushed his hand away and looked at his slender white neck, exposed thanks to the pulled collar. His skin was delicate and creamy. His carotid arteries were faintly pulsing. He stretched out his hand to cover it up.
The pulsation of the carotid artery and the rhythm of the heartbeat are the same.
When he put his fingers on it, he felt that Zhu Tong’s heart rate seemed to be a little faster than before.
Zhu Tong was slightly nervous. “Are you… in a better mood?”
Feeling the shorter youth’s nervousness, Shao Ming slightly curved his lips and said, “Well, much better.”
“…”
Shao Ming’s signature polite smile.
Zhu Tong thought he must have been brain-dead to ask him, because even if he asked, Shao Ming wouldn’t tell the truth.
He glanced at Shao Ming’s room and hesitated, “How about I…”
‘-stay with you for a while.’
Before he could say that however, Shao Ming interrupted him. “It’s getting late, go back to your room and rest.”
Zhu Tong: “?”
‘Getting late? It’s still early now? Evening self-study is not over yet.’
‘But since Shao Ming said that, this should mean that he wanted to be left alone for a while, right?’
For some reason, Zhu Tong felt a little lost. He nodded and said, “Well, call me if you have anything.”
Shao Ming: “Okay.”
He reluctantly withdrew his hand, which was pressing on Zhu Tong’s neck, as if he hadn’t had enough.
At the same time, Zhu Tong raised his hand and covered his neck, feeling that the place Shao Ming touched was numb.
He glanced at Shao Ming again before turning around and going back to his room.
When the door on the other side was closed, Shao Ming lowered his head slightly. He rubbed his fingertips, recalling the obviously accelerated heart rate he had just felt, and thought to himself: ‘It’s not all hopeless, is it?’
He quickly came to his senses, looking at the phone in the room that he had muted and was now silent. A cold expression gradually appeared in his eyes. He glanced at the closed door on the other side, feeling both helpless yet amused.
He didn’t want Zhu Tong to misunderstand him as a good person, but at the same time, he didn’t want him to see his bad side.
He locked his room, walked into the balcony, picking up his phone on the way. He then answered the call.
A woman’s hysterical voice came from the phone: “Shao Ming! You little bastard! You even found someone to threaten your younger brother on the road. Are you still human! He’s only 14 years old!”
On the way to the milk tea shop after receiving the message, Shao Ming called to inquire – Qiu Shaoping had just been released yesterday.
It’s been 5 years since his imprisonment, and in this ever-changing city landscape, full with newly built squares and newly opened milk tea shops, one question came to mind: how did Qiu Shaoping find Shangming Milk Tea Shop so quickly and accurately?
In the past 5 years, the only person who has never moved, who knows exactly where the milk tea shop is, and who can be found by Qiu Shaoping, is Shao Yuhan.
Knowing well what Qiu Shaoping might do after being released from prison, those so-called “relatives” didn’t even send a text message to give a heads-up.
What was his Aunt thinking after seeing Qiu Shaoping released from prison?
Shao Ming did not deny what he had done. He chuckled and said, “What? Did my cousin2in the og Chinese text, Shao Yuhan referred to her son as Shao Ming’s “弟弟/younger brother”, while Shao Ming referred to him as his “表弟/maternal younger male cousin” cry?”
Shao Yuhan: “You…”
“Don’t worry, I haven’t started going for my uncle.”
Shao Yuhan’s voice trembled. “Shao Ming, what are you trying to do? I’m your mother’s older sister! You…”
“So?” Shao Ming said, “Sisters should stand by each other in difficult times, right? Or does Aunt not like this approach? Do you prefer a more direct method? Have you seen the news about the milk tea shop? Does Aunt want to try that more direct approach? Or should I let my cousin try it?”
Thanks to Zhuo Yunan’s involvement, Shangming Milk Tea shop’s status soared, and it’s a well-known Internet celebrity shop. Of course, the news of what happened outside the milk tea shop has quickly spread.
His aunt, who was so looking forward to seeing their “end”, should have watched Qiu Shaoping’s tragic situation.
‘Since you do not want to see me and Mom leave peacefully, might as well join in the fun.’
Shao Ming thought coldly.
When Shao Yuhuan heard him mention the “milk tea shop,” she knew that her actions had angered him. She suddenly felt a chill and slowed down her voice, saying, “Shao Ming, you can’t do this. Qiu Shaoping came to find me, and Aunt had no choice. Can you spare your younger brother? He’s your own cousin! Shao Ming?”
“…”
‘Cousin?’
Shao Ming thought of something and sneered.
The female voice on the phone was still pleading, but he didn’t speak anymore – he hung up the call, letting the invisible fear overwhelm the person on the other side of the phone.
Then he made another call to Luo Suo’s uncle.
After the police at the police station sent that man to the hospital, they immediately contacted the prison guard and confirmed the identity of Qiu Shaoping and his crime.
“But after he came out, he just went to the milk tea shop and sat there. What he said doesn’t constitute a crime. So, for now, he’s just under the police’s close watch, and there’s no basis for an arrest.”
Shao Ming was silent for a moment before saying, “Really?”
“Since he’s seriously injured and is treated in the hospital, he shouldn’t be a threat to you. When he is discharged from the hospital, the police will try their best to protect you.”
“…”
The police always handled cases according to the rules, but that man in the hospital has never abided by the rules.
He still clearly remembers a woman’s terrified screams – it was muffled, as her face paled by the second, her breathing hindered by the wet towel used to suffocate her.
He still remembers the pain of his bound limbs. His joints were repeatedly broken, put back, broken, put back again, and again.
On some days, beatings would ensue. After that, it would always be followed by days-long “rehabilitation confinement”.
When did he start resisting? Six years old? Or was it seven? He didn’t remember.
A child’s resistance was always so weak, so helpless. And any of a child’s exposed emotions were very clear to the adult, so it can always be a signal, a reminder for the adult to make a new plan. That new plan always manages to disintegrate the build of courage, setting it back to zero.
The chance of successfully asking for help was also very slim. Adult strangers rarely believe what children say – and in some cases, even if they believe, they would not care to intervene.
Since he could not rely on others, he must step up for himself.
If at 12 years old he could send him to jail, at 17 years old, he could do the same again.
He said “yes” to the person on the phone and laid down on the bed with his head looking up.
